Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The Central Paratethys was a huge epicontinental sea that existed from the latest Eocene to the end of the Middle Miocene (Popov et al. 2004, Palcu et al. 2023).Particularly during the Middle Miocene, tropical to subtropical climatic conditions favored the development of a hyper-diverse, partly endemic marine mollusk fauna (e.g., Studencka et al. 1998;Harzhauser et al. 2003 Harzhauser et al. , 2024a, b), b).Along its margins, diverse freshwater and terrestrial mollusk communities flourished, documented by an impressive literature record (e.g., Neubauer et al. 2015a, b; Höltke et al. 2016;Harzhauser & Neubauer 2021).Especially in the non-marine fossil record there are still considerable knowledge gaps for Middle Miocene mollusk faunas, particularly among terrestrial assemblages.Here we document a mixed assemblage of brackish-water, freshwater, and terrestrial mollusks from late Middle Miocene (early Serravallian, late Badenian) strata near the town of Hidas in the Mecsek Mountains in southern Hungary (Fig. 1).Paleontological work on fossil mollusk material from this locality started in the second half of the 19 th century, with the description of a single species of freshwater gastropod (Rolle 1862).First marine gastropod species were described by Hoernes & Auinger (1879-1891).Further works in the 20 th century added a few species to the freshwater mollusk fauna of Hidas (Wenz 1932;Kókay 1967Kókay , 2006)).The marine fauna of this locality was first assessed by Csepreghy-Meznerics (1950), who documented 111 species of gastropods and 70 species of bivalves.In addition, she listed oligohaline to freshwater taxa, including several species of Hydrobiidae, two species of Dreissenidae, and each one species of Pachychilidae, Lymnaeidae, Planorbidae, and Unionidae.Földi (1966) discussed the geological setting and biotic succession at 57 A mixed marine/non-marine mollusk assemblage from the Middle Miocene of Hidas (Hungary) Thomas a. Neubauer, maThias harzhauser & KriszTiNa sebeWe describe a mixed assemblage of polyhaline, freshwater, and terrestrial mollusks from late Middle Miocene (early Serravallian, late Badenian) strata near the town of Hidas, southern Hungary.It comprises 19 species in 16 families -seven polyhaline to normal-marine gastropod species (Neritidae, Hydrobiidae, Nassariidae, Potamididae, Batillariidae, Litiopidae), four gastropod and one bivalve species from freshwater settings (Lymnaeidae, Planorbidae, Sphaeriidae), and seven species of terrestrial gastropods (Ellobiidae, Strobilopsidae, Vertiginidae, Gastrocoptidae, Discidae, Gastrodontidae, Elonidae).The polyhaline/marine taxa identified to the species level are widely distributed species, all of which have been previously reported from Hidas.The freshwater and terrestrial species, in turn, all represent new occurrences.Most of them are common components of Middle Miocene peri-Paratethyan non-marine faunas.Biostratigraphically, the fauna agrees with the early Serravallian (late Badenian) age suggested by a previous study on microvertebrates.We provide a systematic account of all species, along with a critical discussion of the non-marine species previously recorded from Hidas.The assemblage was likely deposited in a low-energy freshwater setting, perhaps a pond, oxbow lake or backwater swamp.We assume that the brackish elements were transported from a nearby mudflat or mangrove environment, perhaps during an overspill or flooding event.
Source: Bulletin of Geosciences
Authors: T.A. Neubauer, M. Harzhauser, K. Sebe
Language: English
Subfield: Paleontology
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life below water
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4409533901